1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates generally to a tool for turning a dock post, and in particular, to a heavy duty ratchet tool for installing and removing dock posts.
2. Summary of Related Art
Throughout the northern half of the United States and all of Canada, docks are installed each boating season in lakes, rivers, and ponds for use by sporting and recreational boaters. The docks used by the small to mid-size boats are typically installed each spring at the start of the boating season and removed in the fall.
In the winter when the lakes, rivers, and ponds freeze, the shifting of the ice formed in the body of water places tremendous stress on small structures in the water, such as boat docks. In most cases, the property owners with frontage on the water cannot justify the time, effort, and expense of installing and maintaining a year-around dock with sufficient strength to withstand the forces of winter. Consequently, the docks installed for use by sport and recreational boaters are typically installed and removed each season.
Because of the shallow water along the shore line, the docks generally extend perpendicular from the shore line into the water. Pairs of dock posts are installed at regular intervals in the bottom of the lake. The posts extend above the water and a cross bar is clamped between a pair of dock posts. The dock platform is then placed upon and connected to the cross bars to form the dock. The dock platform may be made of treated wood planks, extruded aluminum planks, or other similar material.
The dock posts have a standard outer diameter and vary in length from 3 feet to over 12 feet. The dock posts have an auger head formed in one end to facilitate the installation of the dock posts into the bottom of the lake. When the dock post is rotated in a clockwise direction, the auger head drives the dock post into the ground. The dock posts are provided with cross holes near the top of the post for receiving a post turning bar. The post turning bar is inserted through the holes and is used to rotate the dock post when installing and removing the dock post.
The post turning bars are short, thin pieces of stainless steel bar. The existing post turning bars are difficult to use because the bars are too thin to obtain a good grip and too short to provide adequate leverage. Since the post turning bar does not have a ratchet feature, the person installing or removing the dock post must constantly change positions to turn the wrench.
In the spring, the water temperature is quite cool. Since a person installing a dock post is standing in the water, it is desirable to minimize the time it takes to install the posts for the dock. In lakes with hard bottoms, it is often difficult to turn the wrench to drive the dock post into the ground. A person installing a dock post with a regular post turning bar will typically have to move his feet every quarter turn in order to achieve the leverage necessary to turn the dock post. On a slippery lake bottom which is often on a slope, it is very inconvenient to be constantly changing positions.